- Svadhyaya -- Self-study. Spiritual self-education. Contemplation and application of the scriptures or sacred texts of our chosen path.
- Being a yoga teacher it is extremely hard not to mix your business and your personal life. If you truly try to live out your yoga then it's in everything you do and who you are. What I love about yoga is that it is always a "practice". I don't have to perform, and I am not expected to do anything perfectly. Though my faith is Christian I tend to study many texts and philosophies. I find that in doing so I often hear the voice of God through those words. Often the messenger is in a reading, a meditation, and often the messenger is a human or an animal or an event. In doing our asana practice and studying our yogic philosophies or any sacred text we can learn to care for ourselves and open ourselves up to hear God, our higher power, the universe, speak to us. For me yoga philosophy has given me great "Self Talk" and "Self Love". Anytime I need to fill my tank I can read the Yama's and NiYama's and find what I need. Now my challenge this past year has been taking the time to go there before I get out of sorts. It's okay, we all go through cycles. Yoga allows for forgiveness, of self and of others. The others has been tough for me this year, I will admit it, but I know because I have been given this path that I will be more compassionate to someone else who needs some lovin through a tough time.
- When we practice all eight limbs of yoga we allow ourselves to tune our minds and bodies to our inner voice. I hope you find your inner voice and that you have lots of self love and positive self talk in your life, and have peace in knowing that you and no one else has to be on a pedestal, you can get up when you fall down and dust yourself off and start again. Your yoga practice will be there for you, it won't talk back, it won't argue, it will give you comfort, it will give you love, and you will always have it..everywhere you go.
Namaste and Hugs,
- Courtney
